Seven Days of Recovery
by Mixer18
Summary: Akiza has to have her wisdom teeth removed. There's just one problem: she's kind of hesitant. She won't have to worry; Yusei will be right with her, every step of the way. Finally finished.
1. Removal

_For the first time, I'm actually giving Akiza a starring role, starting with this tale. The plot derives from something I went through last summer (2009), and it wasn't something I wanted to happen, but it had to be done._

A ringing sounds through a desolate lobby that has elevator music playing in the background. Through the door entered a tall young woman with long magenta tinted hair. She took a seat and looked at her watch, which read 12:30pm exactly. "Looks as though I won't have to wait for a while," she told herself. She clasped her hands together and waited. Ten minutes passed until the receptionist called out to her. "Miss Akiza, the doctor will see you now," she told her.

Akiza strolled behind the front desk to an open door not far back. Along the way, she passed several posters and diagrams of teeth. She was at a dentist's office for a routine checkup. The lead dentist stepped out to see if she was coming. "Miss Izinski is it?" he asked her. Akiza nodded yes timidly. "Excellent," he responded, "let's get started." The ordeal took an hour and a half, during which Akiza's teeth were x-rayed, examined, and thoroughly cleaned.

"Well then," the dentist said as he and Akiza were wrapping up, "everything checks out." The magenta haired woman put on a nervous smile and answered, "Looks to be that way. I'll be uh….going now." Before she blazed her way out, the dentist had one thing left to tell her. "Not so fast," he started, "there's one matter that you should have taken care of." Akiza stopped in her tracks and walked backwards so she could see what was happening. She looked up to see the dentist pointing at an x-ray image. "You're long overdue for a wisdom teeth removal," he told her. "A what?" she asked. "In a nutshell, these are teeth that usually come up right about your age, and if they aren't taken out, you'll have crooked teeth," he told her. Akiza went on to, reluctantly, set up the removal to happen in two days.

Akiza left and dashed straight to the one person who she knew wouldn't let her go through the surgery alone. Her parents couldn't help, seeing as they were out of town for a while. "I know he'll help me," she said while walking in a rapid pace.

Out of breath, she made it to the front door where she knocked like she was going to be captured. "Yusei, open up! I know you're home!" Akiza shouted. Inside, Yusei heard her voice, ran up to the door, and opened it to have her fall in his arms from exhaustion. "Help…me," she exhaled. He carried her, bridal style, down to something she could lie down on. She was lowered gently onto a couch that has served as a place for many a nap by Yusei, Crow, and Jack.

"Akiza, are you all right?" Yusei asked in a gentle tone. The woman opened her eyes to see a pair of velvet blue eyes that seemed to say, "Are you OK?" She chuckled, "For the moment, yes." She caught her breath and looked at Yusei. "I need someone to keep tabs on me when I have my teeth taken out," Akiza relayed to Yusei. "What do you mean by 'teeth taken out'?" he asked. Akiza let out a sigh with hints of fear and told what she needed to have done. "After my checkup, the doctor said my wisdom teeth need to removed, and so I scheduled it to happen this Thursday," she told him. Yusei extended his hand to place it on top of Akiza's. "Since you need someone to watch you, you can count on me," he assured her. A wink from Yusei sealed the deal. With her prayers answered, Akiza hugged her savior in appreciation.

It was now 8:00am Thursday morning, and Akiza had decided to stay with Yusei for the time it would take to recover from the surgery. The pair was back at the same office for the wisdom removal. Yusei was in his usual calm demeanor, texting to his friends what was going on. Akiza was frozen in fear to where she wouldn't blink. "Akiza, we're ready for you," one of the assistants called out to her and Yusei. She still wouldn't budge. Yusei snapped his fingers a few times to get her attention. Nothing happened. The Satellite duelist then removed his right glove and covered Akiza's ice-cold left hand with his radiator warm right hand. She thawed on the spot and followed him to the back of the building.

As she was strapped down and put out with anesthesia, Yusei whispered in her ear, "You'll be fine. I'm here for you." Just like that, Akiza was out like a light.

After what seemed like forever, Yusei was called back to get Akiza. He walked in to see Akiza's head wrapped in a sling filled ice-cold gel. "It should be about five to seven days until the swelling completely subsides," the surgeon told Yusei, "plus she'll have to keep these cotton wraps in her mouth to soak up the blood. She'll also have to rinse with salt water twice a day." Yusei was handed a plastic bag filled small cotton wraps. "One more thing," the surgeon pointed out, "she'll have to limited to soft malleable food for the duration." Yusei reached down and grabbed Akiza's hand to pull her up. They left to start day one of recovery.

_Well, Akiza has gotten through the worst part. Now she has seven days to bounce back to her normal self. Yusei will be right there with her. Only question is: will the twins, Crow, Jack or anyone else monkey things up? You all can decide that. The second part should come soon._


	2. Day 1

_I said the second part wouldn't be too far behind. It looks as though that would be right now. Akiza's teeth are now out and she must endure seven days of pain. Let's hope her friends don't interfere._

It was just past nine in the morning, as Yusei was guiding Akiza back home. She kept wobbling left and right, as the anesthesia was still wearing off. "OK Akiza, just stay upright," Yusei instructed her. They slowly made it back home, and as they got through the front door, Jack shouted, "Where have you been Yusei?!" The Satellite duelist rolled his eyes at Jack's arrogant question. "If you're so inclined to know," he told the former the champ, "Akiza needed me to help her with her wisdom teeth recovery." Jack narrowed his vision to focus on the wobbling Akiza. He scoffed at her and went back to reading the newspaper.

"OK then, just lay right here, and you'll be comfortable," Yusei told his ailing friend as he turned the couch into a makeshift bed. He also remembered that should Akiza fell asleep, she would be lying upright, so the blood in her mouth wouldn't choke her. "Is this good enough for you?" Yusei asked her. "It….it's perfect," Akiza answered in a gentle tone. She moved her palm across the left side of Yusei's face to show her gratitude.

Two hours had passed since Yusei brought Akiza back. She had fallen asleep from any anesthesia left in her system. Of course, there were three people left to see Akiza in her current condition. One of them had just gotten up from a long slumber and sauntered down to see Yusei and Jack. It was a well rested Crow who yawned, "Morning guys. What do we have for—when did Akiza get here?" The once-a-thief got shushed from Jack and Yusei. "Akiza is fresh off of her wisdom teeth removal, and she would appreciate it if everything was quiet," Yusei whispered. A small beeping came from Yusei's pocket. The cotton rolls in Akiza's mouth had to be swapped. Seeing as how Yusei didn't want to wake Akiza up, he would have to retrieve the bloody rolls out of her mouth and insert new ones without waking her. It would actually be easier as Akiza's mouth hung open. The Satellite duelist tip-toed next to the sleeping beauty, pulled out the first rolls with some tweezers, and put some new ones in the same spots, all without disturbing Akiza. As Yusei discarded the rolls, Crow gave him a mischievous smirk and a thumbs-up.

The day had progressed to three in the afternoon, which meant the twins would be making their requisite appearance. Akiza was just watching the guys work on their rides when she heard a knock on the door. "Can someone get the door?" she requested. Yusei, in his complying nature, went up to open the door, only to have a raucous green blur tackle him. "Got to think fast Yusei," the blur told him. "I'll keep that in mind Leo," he groaned. Luna walked up to see if Yusei was OK. "I apologize for Leo's behavior," she told him as Yusei got to his feet, "but he was involved in a game of touch football." Yusei looked down to see the male twin zipping off the walls. Luna's eyes trailed down to see a curious sight. "What happened to Akiza? Is she sick or something?" the female twin inquired. "She had her wisdom teeth taken out this morning, and she's staying here until the bleeding and swelling go down," Yusei told Luna as they walked down the staircase. The green haired girl felt she should say "hi" to Akiza, so she got behind the couch and tapped her shoulder to get her attention. "How are you feeling?" Luna asked. Akiza gave the small girl a reassuring smile. "A lot better than this morning," she told Luna, "and it's actually amusing seeing your brother bouncing around like some kind of jumping bean." The female twin wheeled around next to Akiza to watch the guys go after Leo. The two sat together to see one little boy outwit three guys who are taller and older than him.

The three-on-one chase continued for almost an hour until Akiza rang a small bell Yusei gave her to be alerted of a request. Yusei broke away from the chase to see what Akiza wanted. "You rang?" he asked in between breaths of air. "Yes I did," Akiza answered with a trace of laughter in her voice, "could you bring Luna and me some milkshakes?" Yusei help up one hand to stall his answer in order to catch his breath. "Hang tight," he told the waiting duo. Yusei dashed to the kitchen, and came back five minutes later with cold and thick vanilla milkshakes on a silver platter. "Thanks Yusei," Luna and Akiza told him at the same time. Before Yusei could rejoin the chase to capture Leo, Akiza motioned for him to come closer to her wrapped head. She quickly pecked him on the cheek. "You're welcome," Yusei told her. As he got back into the chase, Luna remarked, "You are so lucky. You have Yusei tending to every need you have." Once Akiza rinsed out her mouth with salt water and removed the cotton rolls, she responded, "Yeah, you could say that." The two of them slurped on their shakes while continuing to get a laugh out of watching Leo run around everywhere.

The sun had just about set for the day when Leo was finally captured by Jack. "Please don't hurt me," the male twin pleaded. In between breaths of air, Jack answered, "I'll get back at some other way. You wore me out." Crow and Yusei caught up to Jack and Leo, short on breath as well. It was difficult for Leo to escape, as Jack held the collar of the boy's shirt tight in his fist. "OK, Jack, let him go. He and Luna have school in the morning, and we don't want school officials searching for him," Yusei mediated. Still breathing heavily, Jack reluctantly let go of Leo, who scurried up to the front door. "Fun's over," Luna told Akiza as she got up, "I'll be back tomorrow." Luna waved goodbye to her friends as she walked out, while Leo ran away for his life. Yusei treaded next to Akiza and flopped next to her, completely out of steam. "Rough day?" she asked him. Yusei exhaled, "What's up with that kid? He ran me into the ground, metaphorically, so to speak." Seeing that Yusei was in need of rest and energy, Akiza linked her left hand into his right hand. "Stay here for a bit, and I promise you'll be back to normal." The pair each laid their heads against each other and held that pose for a while.

_Day 1 is in the books. What's next for Akiza in Day 2? I'll need input from those who've read this part and the first one. Any suggestions I'll try to incorporate into the third part._


	3. Day 2

_Akiza has gotten through the opening day of recovery. Only six days left until all major swelling is gone. How will all of Day 2 play out? She got some laughs from watching Leo. I say, "On with the show."_

With Day 1 having come and gone, Akiza has entered Day 2 of recovery. Yusei couldn't keep her company, since he had to help capture Leo. The sun rose on a sleeping Akiza, who Yusei saw without her ice-gel sling. Yusei said to himself, "I've got a more pleasant way to coax her awake." He put on some boiling water and dropped in a few eggs.

The clock read 9:07am when Yusei dangled a plate of soft boiled eggs under her nose. Once the aroma registered its presence to her, Akiza awoke to see Yusei with the eggs and a fresh chilled ice sling. "Good morning," he told her with a soft tone. "Hey," she answered back. Yusei gestured for Akiza to slightly lift her head, in order to have her head wrapped with the sling. "Thanks," Akiza whispered to Yusei. After she was handed the soft boiled eggs, she wanted Yusei to sit next to her. "I really appreciate all you're doing for me," Akiza said in a half-whisper, "it's very considerate of you." Yusei looked back at her with a warm look in his eyes that seemed to eliminate the pain for a brief instant. "It's no trouble at all," he assured her. The two sat in silence for a short while as Akiza consumed the eggs.

Time advanced to 11:30am when Crow and Jack got up. When they got down to the work floor, they saw Akiza was distracted with listening to her iPod. Crow got a sneaky idea by forming a Grinch-like smile on his face. "Watch this," he told Jack. Crow snuck behind the couch, placed his head on the back, and waited for her to look towards him. When she did, Crow greeted, "Howdy." Akiza nearly jumped out of her skin and slapped the living daylights out of Crow. "OW! That hurt!" he exclaimed. "Then don't do…..what you just did," Akiza warned him. All Jack did was nod to say, "Ridiculous," as Crow walked away to ease his pain.

One hour passed after Crow was slapped silly by Akiza. She had her salt water rinse, and before she decided to spit it down the kitchen sink drain, Akiza thought of a better way to get back at Crow. Instead of spitting into the drain, Akiza spit the water into a new glass and said while looking into the glass, "Mess with the bull, you get the horns." She walked back to the work floor, where Crow and Yusei were working. Akiza trotted up to Crow and spoke, "I'm sorry for slapping you earlier, so I have some water here to help rehydrate you." He looked at the glass with a curious look. "Well, I am actually kind of thirsty," Crow answered back. He clenched the glass in his fist and chugged the water down in one gulp. "It tastes strange," he remarked while licking his lips. "It's supposed to. It's my salt water rinse!" Akiza exclaimed. Crow started spitting like crazy and trying to wipe his tongue clean. "That'll teach you!" Akiza whipped at Crow.

When Leo and Luna arrived at the workshop at three in the afternoon, they walked in to see Crow brushing his tongue and doing anything else to rid himself of the Akiza/salt water taste. "Um…what's new?" the twins asked simultaneously. "Just the usual," Jack answered. "Usual?! What's so usual about drinking Akiza's backwash?!" Crow retorted to Jack. The former king at Crow and went back to texting with Carly. Leo thought he should help Crow, so he tailed him into the kitchen. Luna ambled up to next to Akiza and plopped down next to her. "How goes the recovery?" she inquired. "Not so bad," Akiza answered to the female twin. Luna went on tell Akiza everything that was going on at Duel Academy.

The sun began to descend in the sky, which meant the day was coming to an end. Crow had managed to vanquish the backwash taste in his mouth after multiple combinations of various liquids available in the apartment. "Feeling better now?" Akiza asked as Crow walked by. He answered simply by blowing a raspberry at her and treading away. Yusei saw the exchange as he finished his work for the day and putting stuff away for the day. He walked up to Akiza, sat next to her and put one of his arms around her. "How would you classify Day 2?" he asked his ailing friend. "Interesting, to say the least," Akiza answered with a smirk. Both turned their heads to look at each other. There was that traditional "awkward" silence between them. The two inched their faces closer to each other. As soon as there was an eighth of an inch between their faces, Yusei took the charge and joined his lips to Akiza's. It didn't really bother him that she may have had a slight copper taste because of all the blood. The kiss lasted for about five seconds until they separated. "What do you call that?" Yusei asked with a half-smirk. "I have no idea," she answered with a breathy voice, "but there's no reason to name it." Akiza placed her hand on top of Yusei's and linked their fingers together. Yusei looked down at their hands and then back at Akiza with a trace of hope in his eyes. They decided to sit like that until one of them fell asleep for the night.

_Well, Day 2 has now written itself in the annals of time. It's been an interesting two days for Akiza, a_s _she's found amusement in the most unlikely of places. What will the third day bring? Throw in the suggestions and I'll see what will work._


	4. Day 3

_Are you ready for Day 3? Let's hope Akiza is. It was an interesting second day of recovery as she somehow tricked Crow into drinking her used salt water rinse. One thing to look out for is there will be some references to sport topics that are on ESPN. They're just there to help fill space._

The sun crept up in the sky, in order to signal the start of a new day. Akiza was the first one up on the third day of her wisdom teeth recovery. She sauntered, sleepily, up to the front door to bring the newspaper down, or else Jack would go crazy without something to read. The recovering young woman grasped the paper in her hand and went back downstairs. She thumbed through the highlights of the various sections to see if something would catch her eye. One headline, when she came to it, read, _Raiders are losing patience with QB Russell._ "Maybe they'll finally get rid of him," Akiza yawned.

Yusei came down to the work floor to see if Akiza was awake. "Someone got up early," he said to get her attention. "Indeed I did," she answered while sipping some tea. Yusei opened the fridge and rummaged through for something to eat. "If you're hungry, there're some eggs left over," he reminded Akiza. "Nah," she said while shaking her head. The Satellite duelist just shrugged at his friend and put on some eggs for an omelet. While he was tending to the pan, Akiza spoke up, "I have an idea on something we can watch tonight." Yusei looked over his shoulder at her. "What'd you have in mind?" he asked while plating the omelet. "There's a documentary about that Ricky Williams guy who plays for the Dolphins." Yusei nodded at her to say that he was on board with the idea.

Next to get up were Crow and Jack. Feeling mischievous like the day before, Crow silently zipped out of bed, found some shaving cream, and tiptoed to where Jack was still sleeping. With a stifled snicker, the former thief quietly filled Jack's exposed hand with the shaving cream. Next, he irritated Jack's nose with a feather he had on hand. Once the former king reached to scratch his nose, his face was smeared by the shaving cream. Jack's eyes, which became filled with rage, shifted to a nervously smiling Crow. "Um….bye!" he said after dashing for his life. "I'll get you for this!" Jack proclaimed while chasing after Crow. The pursuit raced past Yusei and Akiza and then outside. The two guys were gone for roughly ten minutes.

Ten minutes later, Jack returned first with remnants of shaving cream still on his face. Crow followed behind him at a safe distance. He was covered with scuff marks, grass, trash, and other debris. "Don't ask," Crow told Akiza and Yusei as he brushed the debris off. The two looked at each other and shared a snicker, albeit muffled, so as to not let Crow know.

As if on cue, the twins made their appearance to Akiza and the guys. It was three o' clock already. Leo looked at the work floor to see Crow was on the other side opposite Jack. "Hey Crow! Why are you over there by yourself?" the male twin asked. "Um…..no reason," Crow stammered. "It's a long story," Akiza pointed out. As Leo stood at the top of the stairs, Luna skipped down next to Akiza. "Feeling better than yesterday?" she asked her role model. "The healing continues to progress," Akiza told the small girl. Luna examined Akiza's head, which was still in the ice-gel filled sling. "Am I going to have to go through something like you are in the future?" The healing woman shrugged a bit at Luna and answered, "Depends on when your wisdom teeth come up, and if they pose any threat to your teeth already there." Jack scoffed at Akiza's hypothesis. "Mine came in perfectly straight and don't hurt at all," he boasted. The two females just shook their heads at Jack.

A loud series of knocks came at the front door as the clock read 6:00pm. Crow was forcefully picked to answer it. When he opened the door, a furious Zora was on the other side. "Which of you idiots tore up my flower bed?!" she fumed. "I already know Yusei wouldn't have done anything like that," she added to her tirade. "Him," Jack said as he pointed to an astonished Crow. "Wait! This isn't what it looks like!" the former thief protested. Zora didn't say anything as she pulled Crow outside by his ear. "I wouldn't want to be him right now," Jack simply said.

It was a quarter to eight o'clock, and Crow wasn't back yet. The twins had already left, and Yusei was improving his ride and set the radio on New Domino's ESPN station. The various news bullets included the signing of LeGarrette Blount to the Tennessee Titans, predictions for the Cavaliers/Bulls series and Thunder/Lakers series, and Ryan Howard's five year $125 million contract extension. "Yusei," Akiza half-shouted, "the show's gonna start soon." In the blink of an eye, Yusei halted whatever work he was preoccupied with and lowered his body next to Akiza's. "Must you wear your gloves all the time? Take them off…for me," she begged. Knowing she, like all other women, had a mental advantage over him, Yusei complied and removed his gloves. Akiza seized the opportunity and thoroughly petted his hands, as if they were a pet. "Who would have thought someone like you would have such smooth and soft hands?" she asked. "I take time out of every day to fully scrub all parts of this body," Yusei answered. With five minutes until the documentary started, Crow fell through the front door, completely exhausted. "Don't ask, again" he wheezed as he slithered down the staircase. Yusei and Akiza looked at each other, and then back at Crow as he slithered out of sight. "Have fun!" Akiza shouted as Yusei turned on the TV to see the "30 for 30" logo on the screen. As the documentary began to play, Akiza leaned her head on Yusei's shoulder and thought, "This is the absolute best."

_Well, Day 3 has made itself known. Day 4 probably won't come until Thursday as I'll be at my dad's tomorrow. Until then, I implore you all to keep the suggestions coming, and I'll see what makes it into the story._


	5. Day 4

_It's been two days since I put up Day 3, and now I have Day 4. Sometimes you got to let the ideas flow. I have to credit DarkMGN for saying Carly should come into play. It makes sense._

Three days have passed since Akiza's wisdom teeth were taken out. At the halfway point, the bleeding has gone down, and the swelling has also reduced. How else will the remaining four days play out?

The sun extended its early morning light throughout the urban landscape. People were heading to work. Children were off to school. There was also the matter of Akiza and Yusei. The two of them spent the night of the third day watching ESPN documentaries. It extended late into the night, and Akiza fell asleep with her head on Yusei's chest.

She fluttered her eyes open and stretched about like a cat waking up from a nap. It was when she placed her right hand on something moving up and down that Akiza figured out what happened the night before. "He's still asleep," she mouthed silently, "but let's see if I can….wake him." She kneeled onto the floor and put her lips next to his ear. "Yusei," Akiza whispered gently, "it's a new day, and I thought should wake you up for a change." His eyelids squiggled, a sign he heard the voice. The healing female topped it by slowly pecking the ear she whispered. "What happened?" Yusei asked as he cleared his voice. "The two of us fell asleep out here," Akiza pointed out. "Well," the Satellite said in a jovial tone, "I'd say that's the best predicament I've ever been in." As he walked away, he gave Akiza a subtle, but noticeable wink.

At just a smidge past 10:00am, Crow stumbled his way to where Yusei was frying up some bacon. "What happened to you last night?" Yusei asked. "Long story short: I had to be a slave to that witch," Crow grunted. He fell flat on his face, still exhausted. Fortunately, Yusei had the solution. He extracted a piece of already-cooked bacon and dangled it over Crow's head. "Come on Crow, get the bacon," Yusei teased. The former thief's ears twitched when Yusei mentioned bacon, and he grabbed it like a mechanical claw. While he gobbled it down, Yusei said, "Bacon fixes everything."

Akiza was in the middle of a crossword puzzle when she heard Crow walking down to the work floor. "Looks like someone's all better," she told him as Crow got on his ride. "You know it," he replied. Crow's runner revved to life and sped out of the open garage door. "Good for him," Akiza told no one in particular.

As the clock jogged past noon, Akiza was still tackling the crossword. It came from the New York Times. "Smile," a voice told Akiza as a flash went off. Carly had found her way inside. "Carly, don't do…that," Akiza said as she threw the crossword down. "I'm sorry, but I thought your recovery should be documented….for future purposes," the reporter answered back. Akiza was dumbfounded that Carly found out about her recovery. "Who told you?" she asked. "Jack did," Carly answered, "but that's not important. I just want to know what's happened to you following the removal." Akiza looked up to show she was in thought. "Well," she began to say with a growing smile, "the only notable thing is that Yusei and I have been…kind of…flirting with each other." Carly's eyes widened at Akiza's remarks. "Really?" she inquired. Akiza swiftly nodded to say "yes" and added, "Even earlier this morning, I found myself on his chest, and I gently woke him as well." Carly's face formed a peculiar smile that says that there's an underlying theme. "You like him, don't you?" she asked in a sly voice. Akiza became flabbergasted at Carly's question. "I wouldn't say I like him, but I…I…." she trailed off. "So, when will you tell him?" the reporter asked. Akiza let out a sigh of defeat and answered, "I'll say something when this ordeal is over." Carly clapped her hands together as a sign of accomplishment of what she wanted to know. "Well then, do you know where I can find Jack?" she asked. Akiza immediately answered, "I think he's at that coffee place." Carly's ears vented steam at where Jack was. The reporter blazed her way outside to find Jack.

Day 4 seemed to pass without any major events happening, much to Akiza's dismay. It was these humorous occurrences that made her forget at times she was in recovery. There was better luck for the next day. Sure enough, the clock struck eight, which meant Yusei would be calling it quits for the day.

Just like that, a weary Yusei treaded up to where Akiza was sitting and slumped next to her. "Tough day?" she asked. Yusei let out an extended exhale and answered back, "You could say that." While Yusei continued to regain his composure, Akiza came up with an idea. "You and I have been stuck in here for what seems like ages. Let's go do something fun," she offered. Yusei looked at her curiously. "What'd you have in mind?" he asked. "Bungee jumping," she answered, "there's that group of people bungee jumping off of the highway bridge. Let's go join them." Yusei felt like he had to agree, or else Akiza would get all in his face.

The two of them drove out to the center of the highway system, where the bungee jumping was taking place. "Can we jump with you guys, at least for tonight?" Akiza asked as got off of Yusei's ride. "Not a problem," the leader answered back, "just insert your legs into this harness and you're off to the races." Once Yusei got involved, he and Akiza would be jumping off together. As they leapt off the bridge, the pair linked their hands together. The wind rushed past them as they made it down and back up in a rush. "How was it?" the leader asked as he got Akiza and Yusei back onto solid ground. "Extreme," the pair wheezed together, still holding hands. They had enough and rode back home.

As they rode back, Akiza looked at her hand and thought, "I really have to say something." She looked down to see Yusei focused on the road. "Are you OK back there?" he shouted over the wind. "Um…yeah. It's cool," she answered back. The runner sped off into the distance, which meant Day 4 had meant its end.

_There you have it. I'm not real positive on how this ended, but it's what I came up with. What do you all think? Plus, keep the suggestions coming. Let's see if Day 5 will be any better._


	6. Day 5

_We have reached Day 5. All Akiza can hope for is that something strange will happen on this day. There is only the wait-and-see approach._

A night of bungee jumping was too much for Akiza. She wasn't able to get the sleep she needed. Yusei, on the other hand, slept like a rock. When the sun came up, Akiza was still awake. She spent the entire night doing the strangest of all things: making a sketch of Yusei's face.

Time rolled into the nine a.m. hour, and Akiza was still drawing. "Almost perfect," she muttered to herself. A few more pencil strokes and she was done. Right then, Akiza heard footsteps coming towards her. She hurriedly hid her sketchpad, so as to not let anyone see it. "Morning Akiza," a voice greeted her. She immediately recognized it as Yusei's. "How'd you sleep?" she added. Yusei responded, "Like a rock." Her eyes trailed up to Yusei's hair, which was messed up beyond recognition. "Don't you take care of your hair in the morning?" she asked him. Yusei groaned in a way to try to steer the conversation in another direction. Akiza paid it no mind, got up and grabbed his hand, and "dragged" Yusei to the kitchen.

"Sit," she commanded him as she filled a spray bottle with tap water. Once Yusei was seated and Akiza wrapped a towel around his shoulders as if the two were in a salon, she proceeded to spray water all over his hair. As soon it was good and damp, she took a few drops of conditioner and gently massaged Yusei's scalp. "His hair is incredibly soft even though it looks like a black fire with yellow streaks," she thought. While Akiza continued to massage the conditioner into his hair, Yusei actually got goose bumps from the woman touching his head. "Well, what do you think?" she asked as a mirror was shoved in front of Yusei's face. "It looks….perfect," Yusei stammered. Akiza leaned down a bit to whisper into his ear. "Just consider it a gesture. What kind is of gesture up to you," she whispered into Yusei's ear. Akiza topped it off with a small kiss on that ear.

While the usual hustle and bustle went in front of her, Akiza was adding color to her sketch of Yusei's face. A strange thunderous sound was heard getting louder as it got closer to the apartment, and then getting quieter as it moved away. She stashed her sketchpad away and went upstairs to see what was happening. Akiza went outside and saw a confusing sight: Jack was rolling around in a life-size hamster ball.

"Um….Jack, how'd you get in that thing?" she pondered aloud. "Look next to you," he answered in a dizzying tone. Crow was leaning against the wall with a satisfied smile on his face. "What did you do?" Akiza asked. Crow took in a deep breath and answered, "That's for me to know and you to find out." Since there wasn't an explanation, Akiza let it slide and decided to watch with Crow as Jack was kicked and pushed around by the neighborhood kids.

Time flew by in a snap as the clock signaled the arrival of Leo and Luna. They strolled up to see the same sight Akiza and Crow were watching for a few hours. "Let me try something," the male twin said as he walked up to stop Jack from rolling. He kicked the hamster ball with enough force to make him chase it. "This is fun!" Leo exclaimed as he pursued the hamster ball. Luna shook her head at her brother and found Akiza still watching. "Two more days," she reinforced. "Two more…what—oh….yeah," Akiza realized, "I wasn't keeping track of the time." Luna shook her head and sat next to Akiza to watch Leo literally kick Jack around.

The two females watched for some time before they went back inside. As the two walked down to the work floor, they noticed that Yusei was gone and his runner was gone as well. Akiza conjectured that he was off fixing stuff for other people. Luna looked at the couch and saw something sticking out from under the cushions. She skipped over and pulled out what revealed to be Akiza's sketchpad. While thumbing through the various pages of drawings, she came across the sketch of Yusei's face. "Um…Akiza, why'd you draw this?" Luna inquired to get Akiza's attention. The recovering woman walked over to see Luna looking at the Yusei sketch. "I was hoping no one would see that one," she admitted to the small girl. "Why not? It's really good," Luna replied. "That's not why I want anybody to see it," Akiza countered, "I drew it because….I kind of have a thing for Yusei." Luna snickered a bit at Akiza's statement. "And you just figured this out now?" the small girl fired back, "it was kind of obvious you had something for Yusei after your second duel with him." Akiza didn't say anything as she took her sketchpad from Luna and held it close to her chest while it was still open at the Yusei drawing. "You should tell him how you feel," Luna said to break the silence.

"Stop rolling me around!" a voice shouted from outside. The two females jogged outside to see Jack still in the hamster ball and Leo rolling him around. "Crow, get him to stop," Luna pleaded. The former thief nodded "no" and replied, "I really don't feel that I should ruin the kid's fun. I say let him keep rolling Jack until he gets bored or someone else stops him." Luna and Akiza looked at each other, then back to where Jack was still spinning about. At that point, a red motorcycle rode in front of the two females and Crow. The rider exited the vehicle and removed his helmet to reveal his identity. It was Yusei and from where Akiza was standing, the sun shone on him to make him look majestic. "Alright Leo," Yusei said, "let him out." Realizing he was serious, Leo stopped the hamster ball, pulled the hatch, and Jack tumbled out. "How do you feel Jack?" Yusei asked. The former king held up one finger to say "hang on." A strange gurgling sound emanated from Jack and he threw up right in front of his friends. Leo burst out laughing like a hyena. Crow joined in on the laugh-fest, and Akiza and Luna followed suit. Yusei stood there while Jack slowly regained his mentality. Akiza had gotten her wish: it was a great day since there was something humorous about it.

_Two day to go until most of the healing is done. There will also be the aftermath of Akiza's feelings for Yusei to deal with at the very end. I like this part better than the previous one. What about all of you? Were you amused with Jack in a hamster ball? I was. Day 6 will come very soon. Like the great Alton Brown has said time and time on "Good Eats," your patience will be rewarded. _


	7. Day 6

_Day 5 proved to be a hoot, seeing as how Jack "mysteriously" got inside a giant hamster ball. Plus, there's the matter of Akiza and Yusei. I really don't know how to describe how much she likes Yusei, but if Akiza goes the distance by styling his hair and making a sketch of his face, it has to be a lot._

Lines of mist and fog streamed throughout the streets of New Domino. It must have drizzled the night before. Inside Poppo Time, Akiza was sound asleep, dreaming about what happened the day before. She even laughed a little bit in her sleep. Little did she know, someone was watching.

A gentle, _non-gloved_ hand was placed on her forehead. Akiza was brought back to reality, but she didn't want to open her eyes yet. Instead, she grasped the hand and brought it down to her lips. She placed a kiss on the palm and opened her eyes to see that it was Yusei trying to wake her up. "Hey _you_," Akiza greeted him in a cheerful tone. "Sleep well?" Yusei asked. She looked at down at Yusei's hand still being held by her hand. Akiza slowly kissed his palm again and answered, "You could say that." Yusei looked at his hand being held by Akiza. "If you're done with my hand," he said with a wink to Akiza, "let me see the inside of your mouth." Akiza had no choice but to obey. She opened her mouth like a gate, and Yusei examined with a tiny flashlight how she has progressed six days after removal. "Looks good, except," he coughed, "it could use a better smell." Akiza raised an eyebrow at Yusei's strange diagnosis, then breathed on her hand and smelled it to see what was talking about. "I guess you're right," she admitted with a small laugh. Fortunately, Yusei had some fluoride rinse, which Akiza used to clean out any spit and foul odors left from sleeping. "Thanks Yusei," Akiza told him. "No problem," he answered back.

The clock trailed into the noon hour, and Akiza and Yusei were the only ones inside. Akiza was struggling to complete a Sudoku puzzle, while Yusei continued to work on his runner. Their silence was interrupted by a strange sound that resembled an explosion outside. The two looked at each other in confusion, and then ran upstairs to see what was going on. Once outside, they were greeted by Jack and Crow fiddling with various ways on the Diet Coke/Mentos phenomenon. "Um, what are you guys doing?" Yusei finally asked. "What does it look like we're doing?" Jack snapped back, "We're trying to create a rocket here." Akiza scanned the ground, which was covered in fizz, empty two liter bottles, and Mentos wrappers. "A rocket?" she asked, still looking at the ground. "Yes ma'am," Crow interjected, "Too-Tall and I came across blueprints on how build a rocket propelled by Diet Coke and Mentos. Unfortunately, it may take us a while to get it right." Yusei and Akiza shook their heads at the two stooges and ducked back inside to stay out of launch sequences.

For three and a half hours, Crow and Jack continued to try and fail at launching every rocket they built. Akiza and Yusei even got a few laughs out of Crow and Jack blaming the other for launch failure. Even when the twins came along, Leo jumped in on the rocket building, and it wasn't long before he started blaming Crow and Jack for any failed launch attempts.

Yusei went about working on his runner, and Akiza and Luna talked in a hushed whisper about Akiza's feelings for Yusei. Another explosion was heard outside, and this one sounded different from the numerous botched launch attempts earlier. The trio jogged back outside to see what the now-Three Stooges were up to.

This time, dry-ice explosives were being rigged using the empty bottles from the rocket debacle. "Now what are you three up to this time?" Luna asked. Another explosion rang through the air before Leo could answer. "Dry-ice explosives," Leo said. Akiza kicked around some small plastic shards, not really interested what the guys were up to. "If you guys keep this up," Yusei warned, "something or someone could get hurt." Leo, Jack, and Crow looked at Yusei and started to laugh until their sides hurt. "We'll be fine," Jack fired back, "now leave us alone." Once they realized there was no stopping the explosions, Yusei, Luna, and Akiza took shelter inside the building. They continued to go about their business.

As the day wore on, the explosions grew louder and louder and got more reckless as well. The final explosion must have involved something with moisture as there was a giant splat that immediately followed. The rumbling subsided and the would-be detonators went inside, covered in red. "What'd you guys blow up this time?" Akiza asked. Crow wiped the mess from his eyes before he could shed some light on the situation. "We got a little out of hand and blew up a few of the biggest watermelons we could find," Crow answered. Leo chomped on a few pieces that remained intact. "I'd call it a delicious success," he mumbled while spitting seeds at Jack. "OK Leo, you and I should get out of here. You should also clean yourself off when we get back," the female twin announced. They said their goodbyes and disappeared.

While Jack and Crow cleaned themselves up as well, Yusei and Akiza went out back. Once they were outside, Yusei said, "Up there in the sky." Akiza looked up and beheld a strange but beautiful. The moon was out in full force and covered in a light magenta hue. "It's beautiful," she said to Yusei. While she continued to admire the colored moon, Yusei seized his opportunity and slipped his right hand into Akiza's left hand. She didn't look at the joined hands, but knew it had happened. Akiza responded by slightly tightening her grip on Yusei's hand. They just stood there, hand in hand, basking the beauty in the beauty of the moon.

_One more day to go. As for the Diet Coke/Mentos rocket and dry-ice explosives, they came out of Time Warp. Watch it if you have the chance. Day 7 is around the corner, the confession of Akiza's newfound love for Yusei will bring up the rear._


	8. Day 7

_OK, I have time to put up Day 7 today, even though Day 6 came earlier. After this, the last part should and will focus on Yusei and Akiza. The only reason so many subplots are in this story is that I need something to make it progress faster._

The traditional rooster greeting managed to spread its way through the Poppo Time grounds. Apparently, Crow had hold on to a rooster for an acquaintance. Akiza awoke with blood-shot eyes at the sound of this rooster. "He has to get rid of that thing," she muttered. Being forced awake, Akiza stretched out her limbs when she realized something important.

"Wait," she said, piecing the puzzle together, "it's been a week. I feel no pain. This is…fantastic!" Her exclamation was loud enough to wake Yusei from his slumber when the rooster couldn't.

"What'd you say Akiza?" Yusei said as he came down to the work floor. She jumped into his arms and squeezed him like a stuffed animal. "The swelling is gone, and the bleeding is gone as well," Akiza listed, "the stitches haven't dissolved yet, but they will in due time." The two looked at each other for what seemed like forever. It was like they could see inside the other person. It seemed likely since Akiza and Yusei each shared similar powers as Signers. Akiza saw compassion and determination inside him. Yusei was able to see love and fear in her. The two friends, for now, snapped back to reality.

"What just happened?" Akiza mumbled, trying to soothe her head. "Something happened, but it's something you and I will figure out later," Yusei concluded. The pair stood in silence for a brief respite before Yusei went outside. Akiza stood there by herself, trying to figure out what happened.

The rest of the day went about with little or no fanfare. Crow got the rooster out of the house, being "pressured" by Akiza. Jack was nowhere to be seen. He was probably hanging around Carly. The twins came to visit, as they always do, but Yusei was still gone.

"Where do you suppose he went?" Luna pondered. Akiza shrugged at the female twin. "I have no idea. I saw him go outside earlier this morning, and that's it," she relayed to Luna. Leo didn't bother to stick around, as he had wondered off to find Crow. Luna saw this as the perfect opportunity to ask Akiza how she really felt about Yusei.

The small girl retrieved Akiza's sketchpad from its hiding place and opened to the Yusei drawing. "What does this mean?" she asked Akiza, "Drawing a detailed sketch of him has to mean you like Yusei." There was no running from Luna's assumption. "Well," Akiza began, "there's more to it than that. Earlier this morning, I was able to see inside of Yusei and he saw inside me." Luna became intrigued at this sudden instance of ESP. "Well, what did he see?" the small girl asked. Akiza took in a deep breath and brushed the hair away from her face. "Yusei saw the love I have for him and…..the fear as well," she told the female twin. Luna raised an eyebrow at what Akiza just said. "I understand the love part," she said, "but what of the fear?" The now-fully recovered woman looked up, then down, trying to figure out what to say. "I'm afraid he won't love me back," she finally confessed. Now the pieces were falling into place; anytime love was present, there's also fear of rejection. The females' conversation was interrupted by the loud opening of the front door.

It was Jack who opened the door in his usual arrogant fashion. Carly wasn't too far behind, as she had gently closed the door, in case Jack damaged it. The former king stared at Luna and Akiza as he hurriedly walked out of sight.

"So….how have you two been?" Carly asked Luna and Akiza. The two looked at Carly with concern in their eyes. "Does she know?" the reporter asked, referring to Luna. Akiza nodded to say "yes." Akiza went on to tell Carly what she had told Luna. "This is deep," the reporter replied.

The front door opened for a second time to reveal Yusei. In his hands, he was holding a giant brown sack. "Hey girls," Yusei greeted them. Luna analyzed what was in his hands. "What's in the sack?" the small girl inquired. "Ingredients for chili," Yusei stated back, "I figured we would celebrate Akiza's recovery." The three females looked at each other and then back at Yusei. "I take it that means you're all on board," he conjectured, "then I suggest heading out back. Crow, Leo, and Jack are already out there." While Luna and Carly raced outside, Akiza walked with Yusei. "I don't know what to say except…thank you," Akiza told Yusei, "for everything." He looked out of the corner of his eye at Akiza. "There are a few things I've wanted to talk to you about," Yusei said, "but we'll get on it before the night is over."

_This will count as the lead-in to the final part. It appears Yusei may answer Akiza's feelings after all. Until then, keep the suggestions coming on how it should play out. Any help is greatly appreciated._


	9. Aftermath

_Day 7 was concluded with a weak cliffhanger. Now, this is where everything is wrapped up in a nice bow. What else can I say?_

Yusei and Akiza were the last two to make their way out back. As soon as they got outside, Crow removed the sack from Yusei's arms and brought it to a waiting pot. While he tended to the chili, the twins were mock sword-fighting with tree branches, and Carly and Jack were watching the mock fight.

Yusei and Akiza portrayed themselves as observers, seeing over everything that was happening in front of them.

"It wasn't just me that helped you," Yusei said, "we all had a hand in easing your pain." Akiza panned over the activity, thinking about Yusei just said. "I…guess you have a point there," she admitted. The Satellite slipped his hand into Akiza's and hollered, "How long until it's ready?!" Crow continued to add the chili elements to the pot. "I'll tell you when it is, but that'll be a while," he answered. Since that was all the answer Yusei needed, he tugged on Akiza's hand and guided her back into the house.

"What are we doing back in here?" she asked. Yusei shut the back door and answered, "There are some things I want to find out." Akiza was slightly taken aback at his request but knew what he meant. Yusei placed both of his hands on her shoulders, breathed deeply, and asked, "When we shared that deep glance earlier today, what did you see?" Akiza looked away, trying to compose an answer. "I saw your compassion for your friends and your determination to keep them safe," she relayed. "That's called 'being clairvoyant,'" Yusei stated, "plus I saw something inside you as well." Akiza moved her line of vision until it was in correspondence with Yusei's. "What did you see?" she pondered out loud. With a brief exhale, Yusei retorted, "I saw your love and fear of something." With a smile, he added, "I think I know what that something is." Akiza's mouth formed a smile to match Yusei's. "Really now?" she asked with confidence on her voice.

The love-struck woman brought her face within a centimeter of Yusei's and joined their lips together to create a mystical occurrence.

Yusei was brought to another dimensional plane. White was everywhere, and it continued on forever. "Where am I?" Yusei thought to himself. Just then, a series echoes came from behind him. He jerked around to see Akiza walking towards him. "Hello Yusei," she greeted him a calm voice. "Where are we?" he asked. "We're in a portion of my mind that would normally be all about the person I love, but this on-going white cover personifies the fear I have if that person rejects me," Akiza explained. "It's you Yusei," she continued, "you're that person I love and fear if rejected." The Satellite drank in the information Akiza just told him. "Akiza," he started to say, "You're that person for me as well. It's always been like this." A melodious ring vibrated through the plane, and the white was replaced with a strawberry pink. Akiza didn't say anything but trotted her way to Yusei. She jumped into his arms, and the two slowly faded back to reality.

In the more familiar world, they were still in that dimension-crossing kiss. Akiza pulled away from Yusei to look at him. No dialogue was exchanged between them, but the silence said it all. Soon after, they pulled the other person into a tight hug and stood that way for several minutes.

Their silent but romantic embrace was soon broken by a much-needed shouting. "The chili, it is ready!" the shouting said with a cheesy Mexican accent. It looked as though Crow was finished concocting. The new couple joined their arms together, as though they were attending a dance, and joined the hungry group outside. "Think of it this way," Yusei said, "you have your immediate family, and all of us can be your second family." Akiza analyzed Yusei's words, one by one, in her mind. Maybe Yusei was onto something. She felt more at home and connected around this eclectic group. How often did a family come along that featured members who've saved all of creation before?

The chili was dished out to all of the hungry individuals. A small contest emerged between Crow and Leo when dared, by Jack, to see who could eat more. No winner came about as the contestants ate too much of the spicy concoction and surrendered. While Luna, Carly, and Jack tried to help the ailing fools, Yusei and Akiza began to dance to the music coming from a nearby radio.

"Promise to stay by my side?" Akiza asked. "Only if you do the same for me," Yusei answered back. "Deal," Akiza concluded while poking the tip of Yusei's nose. It was sealed when the pair joined their lips together to cross dimensional planes again. They returned to the same plane from before, now pink, and Yusei and Akiza were waltzing instead. It could be inferred that Akiza got something more when her teeth came out.

_Finally, I am done. I wouldn't call this a success because only the readers can do that. I urge all those who have read this through to check out my other creations if not already done so. As is with everything I've written thus far, ideas are needed. Just don't expect anything for a short while. I will have something new, just wait._


End file.
